BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT. An effec ve code of conduct promotes ethical decision-making across the organiza on.

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Dayna Douglas
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1 BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT An effecve code of conduct promotes ethical decision-making across the organizaon.

2 Leveraging Your Code of Conduct to Promote Ethical Decision- Making The cornerstone of an ethical culture is a comprehensive code of conduct. When employees are confronted with a challenging issue, a code of conduct is a valuable resource, providing them the informaon they need to act with integrity in the workplace and in compliance with laws, regulaons and company policies. A code of conduct designed and implemented using a best-pracces methodology provides employees with the tools and resources they need to make ethical decisions and sustain an ethical culture within your organizaon but not all codes are created equal. To maximize its effecveness, an organizaon should ensure its Code is: Readily accessible to all employees in their nave language Wrien in an easy-to-read style for full comprehension Designed to be visually engaging and reflecve of your corporate brand Relevant to its employee experience leveraging company-specific scenarios and Q&A Supported by an interacve training and cerficaon process If your Code is outdated, ineffecve or fails to engage, it may be me to re-evaluate. Look to transform your obsolete Code from a list of rules and legal mandates to a hardworking employee tool. BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT 2

A Best Pracces Approach to Your Code of Conduct A professionally designed code of conduct, wrien in clear, concise language, helps your employees understand their ethical responsibilies.

3 A Best Pracces Approach to Your Code of Conduct A professionally designed code of conduct, wrien in clear, concise language, helps your employees understand their ethical responsibilies. The Network has established a best-pracces methodology for the creaon, implementaon and delivery of codes of conduct. READABILITY & USEFULNESS Is your current code effecve? Does it address the issues employees face on a day-to-day basis? Speak to them in a way that will resonate with them, with userfriendly language and a tone that complements your organizaonal culture and employee demographics. LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT High-impact designs deliver. Call-outs that feature high-level informaon, pullquotes for added emphasis, company-specific quesons and answers and other eye-catching design elements draw employee aenon to key points and dramacally increase usability. Seamless compliance to your corporate branding standards makes your Code uniquely your own. ACCESSIBILITY Your print-version Code must also be available as an interacve online version with one-click links to more detailed company policies, reporng tools and contact informaon. Easy online navigaon from your corporate intranet gives your employees instant access to your Code and the informaon they need for ethical decision-making. GLOBALIZATION Ulize proven, comprehensive translaon services to ensure sensivity to any cultural nuances. Tailor your Code to reflect country-specific informaon, legislaon and regulaons. 3 BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT

4 CERTIFICATION Cerficaon tracking offers an added layer of due diligence, allowing you to verify receipt and review of the Code by every employee. Track compliance for each employee from a single interface, idenfy those who have not yet cerfied and send reminder noficaons to ensure 100% compliance. BRINGING YOUR CODE TO LIFE Training is an integral aspect of your Code of Conduct. If your employees aren t aware of your Code, if they don t understand it and live it, how can they be expected to uphold its principles and policies? Look for training that offers high-impact, interacve exercises that fully immerse employees in the training experience and reinforce key learning objecves. BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT 4

5 Code Check Take this simple self-assessment to see where your current Code stands. Check the boxes next to each queson: does your Code follow Standard Pracces AND Best Pracces? STANDARD PRACTICE BEST PRACTICE 1 Does the Code start with messaging from the top? When something is important to the CEO, it s important to employees. Leading with a leer that reflects a leaders commitment to an ethical workplace sends a crical message to employees. The inclusion of your company s mission statement and corporate vision/values in the Code is also a recommended pracce. The Network cras high-impact text that compels readers to read. This tone-fromthe-top messaging is the first thing an employee sees when they read the Code. We create Codes which depict corporate principles, values, etc. in a visually interesng way. 2 Does it contain basic informaon about the Code e.g., why the company has one, who has to follow it, what happens if it s violated? It s crical that employees understand that the Code is not a document that sits in HR, but a living, breathing tool for everyday ethical decision-making. The Network s Code of Conduct Services outlines the basics in a way that s easy to understand and in a place within the Code that s easy to find. 3 Is the Code easily accessible to every employee in every locaon? Companies are increasingly looking at green ways to distribute their Codes to employees. Electronic design offers a lowcost distribuon opon and also makes eding, updang and version control easier. The Network creates an electronic version of the Code that s accessible online via corporate intranet or via its public-facing corporate Web site. We can design it in a screen-oriented size that allows readers to see each page without scrolling, and we can include easy-to-use navigaonal controls that make it easy to move around within the document and quickly access info. 6 BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT

6 STANDARD PRACTICE BEST PRACTICE 4 Does it include info about the company s hotline or other reporng avenues? The Code should underscore that employees not only have a responsibility to know and comply with company policies, but also to report any behavior that violates those policies. The Network makes it easy for employees to make ethical decisions. In addion to informaon about how and when to contact the hotline, we can also include easy-to-read decision-tree graphics and charts as visual tools, direcng them to the right resources for quesons and assistance. 5 Is the wring user-friendly e.g. can everyone at every level of the company read and understand it? Aer reading the Code, will employees be able to understand terms such as conflict of interest, insider trading, and proprietary informaon? Employees can t comply with their Code if they can t understand it. The Network makes the Code easy to read, easy to understand and easy to follow. Our award-winning wring team: (1) employs acve, first-person voice to engage the reader and (2) transforms technical language into words that everyone at every level can follow. 6 Is the design user-friendly e.g., is it pleasing to look at and well-organized? In a Web 2.0 world, readers are less inclined to wade through long blocks of text for answers. Informaon should be well-organized, in easy-to-read text blocks, with design features built to reinforce key messaging. Images and color palees that reflect a company s culture and brand are also crical design elements. The Network introduces a variety of design techniques to highlight key points call-out boxes, pull quotes and high-impact imagery can draw readers aenon to key points and allow them to skim for crical info. Our award-winning design team works carefully with companies corporate communicaon departments and their brand standards to make sure the finished product aligns seamlessly with a company s look and feel. 7 Does the Code point employees to more detailed policies about complex Code topics? The goal of the Code should not be to outline every company policy in detail, but to provide high-level overview informaon along with a reference to where more detailed informaon can be found. The Network incorporates policy references directly into the text or calls them into a box at the end of each secon for quick access. For electronic codes, we can build hyperlinks to company policy, so employees can instantly click and read. BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT 7

7 STANDARD PRACTICE BEST PRACTICE 8 Does the Code include company-specific Q&A or scenarios? Inclusion of real-life examples can demonstrate how ethical situaons and decisions made can have a profound impact on a company. The Network works with companies to develop company-specific Q&A and scenarios that will resonate with their employees experience and drive home key points. 9 Does the Code address crical, emerging Code topics? The Code, just like company policies, should be dynamic and cover the topics that employees face on the job day to day. If your company operates offices in internaonal locaons, its Code should include informaon relevant to employees in those locaons. The Network helps companies stay abreast of the Code climate. Social networking policy, data privacy issues, FCPA compliance, export/import restricons, environmental protecon iniaves we stay auned to emerging ethics and compliance topics (domesc and global) and can help companies develop policy language that speaks to all of the issues and challenges they face. 10 Does the company introduce regular iniaves to support the Code? Acvies and collateral designed to leverage and support your company s Code can enhance awareness, increase compliance and sustain an ethical culture. The Network suggests a host of ways to increase the visibility of your company s Code. Online cerficaon programs, interacve elearning soluons, print overviews and new-hire guides can make a Code come alive for employees. YOUR FINDINGS If you did not check all the boxes, for Standard as well as Best Pracces, it may be me to re-evaluate your Code. Contact The Network to see how your Code can help your organizaon maintain the most ethical culture possible. 8 BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT

Conclusion The Network delivers customized ethics and compliance communicaons that have helped thousands of companies effecvely promote ethical cultures.

8 Conclusion The Network delivers customized ethics and compliance communicaons that have helped thousands of companies effecvely promote ethical cultures. By blending the talents of a highly creave team with industry best pracces around workplace communicaons, we create campaigns that deliver a compelling message, engage every stakeholder and achieve measurable results. From high-impact print campaigns to award-winning online interacve modules, we help organizaons tackle tough issues with a wide variety of media. You can browse our online porolio at hp:// Porolio.aspx to view samples of our work. BUILD AN ETHICAL CULTURE WITH YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT 8

ABOUT THE NETWORK The Network, Inc. is a leading provider of governance, risk and compliance soluons that help organizaons migate risk and promote organizaonal compliance.

9 ABOUT THE NETWORK The Network, Inc. is a leading provider of governance, risk and compliance soluons that help organizaons migate risk and promote organizaonal compliance. Through the integraon of on-demand soware and services, The Network helps clients idenfy, communicate, resolve and migate risk issues and incidents. Established more than 28 years ago, The Network serves thousands of organizaons in every industry, including nearly 50 percent of the Fortune 500. For more informaon about The Network, call or visit The Network, Inc. TNW-COCWP11-CM

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